Thank you for visiting the “Public Relations Defined” website. This site chronicles the Public Relations Society of America-led industry-wide advocacy campaign to modernize the definition of public relations. The majority of the campaign took place from November 2011–March 2012. The campaign is ongoing, however, allowing for continued dialogue within the profession about the modern role and scope of public relations.

Thanks for taking a moment to check in on the “Public Relations Defined” initiative. After three months of submissions, comments, deliberation and voting, the big moment is almost here: the unveiling of a new, modern definition of public relations.

The public voting period for the three candidate definitions ran from Feb. 13-26, 2012, and the votes are currently being tallied. We anticipate announcing the winning definition, as based on the profession’s vote, the week of Feb. 27, 2012.

The unveiling of the winning definition will be accompanied by the publication of the quantitative and qualitative data collected throughout this initiative, including the comments, suggestions and other feedback received outside the submission form, and during the public comment period. With our partners’ permission, we’ll publish the summit notes and the emails they sent with their feedback on the process and the definitions. If you have questions about the data, or the process, or what we were intending to achieve through this process, we’ll answer them.

We’ll also publish and promote guest posts from anyone who has something to say on the subject, from those who have conducted their own research to those who have process suggestions to those who simply feel they have a better definition to offer.

Be sure to check this space regularly this week to find out the winning modern definition of public relations, as based on the profession’s vote.

In the meantime, catch up on what has taken place during this three-month global initiative:

Thanks for taking a moment to check in on the “Public Relations Defined” initiative. After three months of submissions, comments and deliberation, the big moment is almost here: the unveiling of the finalists and the public vote for a modern definition of public relations.

The public voting period will launch at 9 a.m. EST Monday, Feb. 13, 2012. So check back here Feb. 13 for information on the final candidate definitions and how to vote. It’s your definition, so be sure you add your voice by voting.

In the meantime, catch up on what has taken place during this three-month global initiative:

After more than 900 submissions, 70 comments and 16,000-plus page views, it comes down to this: the final snapshot word cloud of the “Public Relations Defined” initiative. While submissions are still being accepted through 11:50 p.m. EST today (Friday, Dec. 2), we wanted to provide a glimpse of what your hard work in submitting modern definitions of public relations has produced — at least in terms of the raw data.

Keep in mind that what you see below doesn’t necessarily reflect the words that will comprise the three draft definitions that the PRSA Definition of Public Relations Task Force will develop the week of Dec. 5. They merely represent the 20 most popular words submitted across all four boxes of the definition submission field.

PRSA’s Definition of Public Relations Task Force will objectively analyze all of the submissions, along with blog posts, comments and all other submitted content. Task Force member will then use a subjective consultation process to develop three definitions from the data. Those draft definitions will go up for a public vote, for a period of 10 days, on the PRSA website.

After 12 days of submissions, the following are the 20 most submitted words to the “Public Relations Defined” initiative:

Welcome

“Public Relations Defined” is an initiative to modernize the definition of public relations. Through an open and collaborative effort, PRSA and its industry partners are providing a platform for public relations, marketing and communications professionals to add their voice to a new definition of public relations.